Lou's Gold (Larry Stylinson) (COMPLETE)

Chapter 40 (Part 2): Whatever you wish

He falls to his knees after defending his rose for as long as he could, keeping it moist with his own blood and tears.

He calls out to the Gardner, "take me instead!"

With a swift hand and crooked smile, the Gardner takes him down for the last time.

Above, the first rain droplets begin to fall.

★Harry★

"Okay, this might hurt just a bit." I lowered my revolving seat to the right height where I would be comfortable working on Zayn's hip. "Shading's a bit tricky so sit still, yeah?"

He nodded, not really speaking. Not that he had been very talkative this whole session, but I suppose after so many times of getting snapped at, one learns to keep quiet.

For instance, when someone goes to pick you up from your house and you walk out with a bloody big grin on your face, expect to be asked why you're so bloody happy. Oh, and don't reply with just had a good night last night while chuckling to yourself and thinking the conversation ends there and not expect that person to have an attitude when you start trying to initiate conversation.

I continued shading and wiping away excess ink, probably a little rougher than I needed to but I had to get that excess out. I could hear Zayn wince and suck his teeth often, but he did as he was told and refrained from moving.

And what kind of conversation does the man decide to bring up? The one subject that makes me want to take the tattoo gun and write fucking idiot on his forehead. "So, how was the funeral?" He asked as we pulled in front of the shop.

"Good." I replied.

"Good, good. And how is Louis doing? Does he look like he's doing okay?"

"Yup."

"Good."

Fucking idiot.

I was halfway through shading the barrel of the gun, wanting to go from bottom to top, when I heard Zayn's phone go off. A simple text chime, certainly one I would've missed had I not been right by his pants pocket. "Sorry," he mumbled, pulling his phone out.

I rolled my eyes and turned to my tools, making sure I had enough sanitizer solution and clean towels to finish the tattoo.

He finished his text and smiled at me, setting his phone on the table next to him. "Okay, lets continue. Nice little break there, right?"

Oh, really, Zayn? Did you need a break? Something to bite on?

He blinked slowly. "Uh, no. I don't think so."

Oops, I said that out loud.

"Right then, lets keep going."

I went on about my business, avoiding small talk until I heard his phone chime once again. His eyes looked almost scared as they turned to me. "I don't need to get that."

I shrugged. "It's alright. You don't need to be so still anymore, I'm almost done. You can get it while I keep going."

I looked up to see him smiling at his phone. What's got you so smiley?

It's probably his girlfriend.

Or not.

I thought back to when I woke up in Louis' bed, alone. When I went to look for him I found him on the couch asleep, phone in his hand. When I woke him up to ask what had happened, seeing as we'd never minded sharing a bed before, he replied saying he fell asleep watching a movie and didn't want to wake me. His tired eyes made it hard to believe he had a full night's sleep.